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overwhelm

verb
over·​whelm | \ ˌō-vər-ˈhwelm How to pronounce overwhelm (audio) , -ˈwelm\
overwhelmed; overwhelming; overwhelms

Definition of overwhelm

transitive verb

1 : upset, overthrow The tornado overwhelmed many mobile homes.
2a : to cover over completely : submerge The city was overwhelmed by the flooding caused by the hurricane.
b : to overcome by superior force or numbers The city was overwhelmed by the invading army.
c : to overpower in thought or feeling overwhelmed with grief overwhelmed by terror A sense of inadequacy overwhelmed me. overwhelmed with guilt
Synonyms Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about overwhelm

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Did You Know?

You could say that the introduction of "overwhelm" to the English language was a bit redundant. The word, which originally meant "to overturn or upset," was formed in Middle English by combining the prefix over- with the verb "whelmen," which also meant "to overturn." "Whelmen" has survived in English as "whelm," a verb which is largely synonymous with "overwhelm." Over the last 600 years, however, "overwhelm" has won over English speakers who have come to largely prefer it to "whelm," despite the latter's brevity. Perhaps the emphatic redundancy of "overwhelm" makes it seem like the more fitting word for describing the experience of being overcome by powerful forces or feelings.

Examples of overwhelm in a Sentence

Don't overwhelm him with facts. They were overwhelmed with work. The city was overwhelmed by the invading army.
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Recent Examples on the Web

 Specifically, before its ill-fated path to the left upright, Parkey’s kick was tipped by defensive tackle Treyvon Hester, part of an Eagles surge that overwhelmed the Bears. — Kalyn Kahler, SI.com, "Madness at 43 Yards: The Bears Kicker Competition Through the Eyes of Those Who Lived It," 21 Aug. 2019 Through the bankruptcy proceeding which restructured the company's balance sheet, iHeart's total debt was reduced to $5.7 billion from the gigantic $14.97 billion debt load that overwhelmed the company and caused the bankruptcy filing in March 2018. — Marc Schneider, Billboard, "iHeartMedia Digital Revenue Up 33% in Second Quarter," 15 Aug. 2019 The separations occurred during an unprecedented surge of children from Central America that has overwhelmed U.S. authorities, most coming in families but many unaccompanied. — Elliot Spagat And Astrid Galvan, USA TODAY, "More than 900 children were split from parents at border since 2018 court order," 30 July 2019 Pale gray walls and white millwork show off the beams and new hemlock floorboards, and white upholstery provides a crispness that doesn’t overwhelm the small spaces. — Marni Elyse Katz, BostonGlobe.com, "Father and daughter infuse their Cape Cod cottage with cozy coastal appeal," 25 July 2019 It’s street food theater that overwhelms the senses and follows few, if any, norms. — Julia Wick, Los Angeles Times, "Newsletter: Essential California Week in Review: Social media and a murder trial," 20 July 2019 The administration has faced a record number of border crossings this year that have overwhelmed shelters and facilities for migrants. — Jesse Naranjo, WSJ, "Migrant Families Were Separated Longer Than Previously Known, House Report Says," 12 July 2019 McConnell is the most powerful Republican in Congress and has built a war chest that has overwhelmed challengers for more than 30 years. — Phillip M. Bailey, The Courier-Journal, "5 things to know about Amy McGrath vs. Mitch McConnell in the 2020 Senate race," 9 July 2019 For quantum computers, which might one day solve certain problems that overwhelm conventional computers, no such benchmarking standard exists. — Adrian Cho, Science | AAAS, "How to evaluate computers that don’t quite exist," 26 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'overwhelm.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of overwhelm

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for overwhelm

Middle English, from over entry 1 + whelmen to turn over, cover up

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More Definitions for overwhelm

overwhelm

verb
How to pronounce overwhelm (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of overwhelm

: to affect (someone) very strongly
: to cause (someone) to have too many things to deal with
: to defeat (someone or something) completely

See the full definition for overwhelm in the English Language Learners Dictionary

overwhelm

verb
over·​whelm | \ ˌō-vər-ˈhwelm How to pronounce overwhelm (audio) , -ˈwelm\
overwhelmed; overwhelming

Kids Definition of overwhelm

1 : to overcome completely (as with great force or emotion) The larger army overwhelmed the troops. She was overwhelmed with grief.
2 : to cover over completely : submerge Waves overwhelmed the small boat.

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More from Merriam-Webster on overwhelm

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with overwhelm

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for overwhelm

Spanish Central: Translation of overwhelm

Nglish: Translation of overwhelm for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of overwhelm for Arabic Speakers

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